A healthy handful of walnuts in your breakfast can improve brain function throughout the day, new research shows.
Researchers at Reading University found that memory performance was improved later that day, compared to 50g of walnuts mixed with muesli and yogurt throughout the day, comparing them to eating breakfast that matches comparable calories without nuts.
Research published in Food and Function The journal involved 32 healthy young adults between the ages of 18 and 30.
They completed various cognitive tests while monitoring brain activity six hours after eating breakfast.
Professor Claire Williams, who led research at the University of Reading, said:
“Breakfast and just a handful of walnuts can give young adults a mental advantage when they need to play at the top of the game. It’s particularly exciting that the addition of such a simple diet makes a measurable difference in cognitive performance.”
Researchers recall memories two hours later when people ate walnuts six hours later, while findings reversed, and walnuts surpassed control dishes.
This is the first study to investigate the immediate effects of walnuts on brain function in young adults throughout the day, building on previous studies showing how normal nut consumption improves cognitive function.
While the benefits of walnut-rich breakfasts were clear in the younger population, the researchers noted that it is still unknown whether it would benefit older people and clinical populations, such as patients with cognitive impairment and metabolic syndrome.
Records of brain activity suggest that walnuts may help the brain work more efficiently during challenging mental tasks, but blood samples revealed positive changes in glucose and fatty acid levels that can affect brain function.
Researchers suggested that walnuts have special mixtures of nutrients, including omega-3 alphalinol fatty acids, proteins, and plant compounds called polyphenols, which can improve brain performance.
However, the researchers noted that more research is needed to fully understand how walnuts produce these beneficial effects in the brain.
